ABIR MUKHERJEE

The Curator – M.W. Craven

This is the latest in the Poe and Bradshaw series by CWA Gold Dagger winning author M.W. Craven. A serial killer is leaving body parts all over Cumbria, attaching each with an odd message. Called to investigate, our detectives are faced with a case that seems to defy logic. Their only suspect is denying the irrefutable, and why did all the victims take the same two weeks off, several years ago? This is a belter of a book: dark, visceral and wonderfully crafted. It’s a fantastic ride that’ll keep the reader on the edge from start to finish.

Diary of a Somebody – Brian Bilston

This is the diary of Brian, a divorced, middle-aged, wouldbe poet and his ambition to win the heart of Liz, a woman who he meets at Poetry Club. Will Brian succeed, or will he be thwarted by Toby Salt, his arch nemesis and rival suitor for Liz’s affections? Brilliant. One of the funniest, most heart-warming books I’ve read in a long time.

Leonard and Hungry Paul – Rónán Hession Leonard and Hungry Paul are two quiet friends who see the world differently. They use humour, board games and silence to steer their way through the maelstrom that is the 21st century. This book is about those uncelebrated people who have the ability to change the world, not by effort or force, but through their appreciation of all that is special and overlooked in life. A triumph.

Abir Mukherjee is the author of the Sam Wyndham series of crime novels set in Raj era India.